In Search of A Better Path
by brottoy
Summary: Seven years have passed, and many things have happened. As is inevitable, many things have changed. Gran Torino finds himself visited by an old pupil. One who walks a different path from what he used to in the past. Why did he alter his course, and where will this new way take him?


I thought I smelled something weird, so this is why.

That woman kept the window open again. Fresh air is good for my health, my ass! You don't call the air filled with car smoke fresh air. This was only the fourth floor and merely forty-five meters away from the street, and two cars already passed by in the last fifteen seconds. What a polluted environment!

Who the hell does she think I am? I'm Sorahiko! Everyone knows me as Gran—

"Torino-san, are you awake?"

"…"

I snored.

"So you're awake, then," the nurse said.

"Can't you see I'm sleeping?!"

"I can see you're pretending to sleep."

Jeez! Young'uns these days… They don't know how to respect their elders.

"Well, I'd normally let you keep pretending but," she straightened out the creases on the white blanket I was under and then stood up in a formal pose, "someone's here to see you. It's a young gentleman."

"Tell him I'm sleeping!" I grumbled. "Also, you kept the window open again! I can smell the car exhausts from here!"

"The road's fifty meters away, and it's not even frequently used!" she shot back. "Stop complaining." She then proceeded to arrange the flowers on the other side of the room. "Also, stop shooting your jet. I know you still have your skills but these flowers are not for target practicing."

"Oh hush!"

"This gentleman, you see. He's a little odd. He didn't tell us his name, just said to tell you that 'the zygote is here to meet'. He said you'll understand if I tell you."

"…"

The zygote, huh…

That brings back memories.

"Girl," I said with a pause, "I'm awake now."

"Mm," she lightly nodded with a smile. "I'll send him here then," then she started to walk out.

"Also," I added, "close the damned window."

A couple minutes later, a funny looking guy in a funny looking raiment entered the room. The hair dyed black was in a ponytail. "Good afternoon, sir. How're you doing?"

"Who you be again?"

"Who, I wonder," he smiled. It was a smile mixed with a bit of melancholy.

"You've grown up, it seems. In the past when I asked you that, you'd get all desperate and introduce yourself all over again."

"I just hope the growth has been in a good way," he said as he walked to the chair near me.

"What… you sound like you're having doubts about yourself," I remarked. "You've always been that way. That's the part I wish you'd grown out of."

"Ehheh," he smiled awkwardly. "Even if you say that, I can't help it, you know… I've always been like this."

"Humph… You're only staying like that because you're not trying to change it. What kind of hero is afraid of change? Heroes should always be prepared for it, one way or another."

"Well, I'm not a hero anymore, you know."

"And do you regret that decision?"

I stared at him as he contemplated, still smiling. That was the one thing that really changed about him, huh…

"I actually really didn't recognize you, in that weird hairstyle of yours. What are you a girl? And you dyed it again."

"I dye it every time I go out, except when I'm working."

"Hmm…" I mused. "Well, people tend to forget you once you're old. Hardly anyone comes to see me these days. Good thing you didn't use Toshinori's name, I would've probably had a heart attack if you did."

"I wouldn't dare," he chuckled. "I would've had a heart attack myself if I did that."

"Heh, even after all that, you still hold him in high regards huh… Funny, the last person who came to visit was Nighteye. Last week."

"… I sure hope he didn't use his ability on you."

"Heh, he wouldn't do that, not to an old geezer like me who might kick the bucket any moment now. He may look all tough and rough but he's a rather scared brat. You should know that well."

"Of course. I worked with him as an intern, after all."

"That case with Hassaikai, huh… It was a pretty big one."

"Yes… yes, it was. I learned a lot from that."

"…" I looked at his sad smile again, "Did what you learned from there have some effect on your current decision?"

"Well," he tilted in head, pondering, "I can't say it had nothing to do with this. I did learn a lot while trying to rescue Eri-chan, and I learned a lot after that too."

"Hmm…" I figured it was about time. "Hey brat, you talked to the hospital staff when you arrived, didn't you?"

"Well, I couldn't be here otherwise."

"I think it's about time you take your leave."

"… You're right," he said and slipped his hand inside the coat he was wearing. "Someone I met the other day entrusted this to me." He brought out a flower. It's a simple looking flower, but a florist would be unable to tell its species. After all, species that blooms such flowers doesn't actually exist.

"Did you try to convince him?"

"He's a hard nut to crack, literally. I had to leave empty-handed."

"For sure," I chuckled. "He retired from being a pro hero on his first year of duty. You wouldn't be able to convince him into anything that easily."

He nodded. "Well, thank you for speaking with me, took a load off my mind," he stood up. "Stay well, sir. I don't know if we'll ever meet again."

"I hope you won't need to," I said frankly, and he smiled in response before turning to the exit. "But you know," I spoke from behind, "I don't plan on kicking the bucket so soon. So if you can, come again. It's not bad to have someone other than that mischievous nurse to talk to."

"Well, I'll see what I can do."

"Oh and also tell her I fell asleep while talking."

He chuckled and nodded lightly.

And then there were none.

Only me and the flowers.

I figured I should pretend to sleep again just in case that ill-mannered girl comes in again. And a couple minutes after, she did. "It seems today's a busy day for you," she said, ignoring my act of slumber.

How can she tell?! "Do you have a psychic quirk?"

"What are you saying, Torino-san?" she smiled. "Some more gentlemen came to see you."

I sighed. "Well, let them in."

These bunch won't go away even if I tell them to leave anyway. Unlike him.

"Gran Torino, have you been well?" said an ideal looking man. He hasn't aged, not even a rind on his face.

"Oh if it's not the Chief of Investigation," I greeted him with a wave of hand, "How's it been, little Tsukauchi?"

"Well… so so," he looked around the room with keen eyes, "I was out on a job around this part so I thought I'd drop by and say hello."

"I see…" I glared. "So it's not because you got a call from the hospital authorities about a man coming to see me."

"… Alright, I'll cut to the chase. Can you tell us who it was?"

"A student of mine, from the old days," I looked at the flower. "A really old student."

"With all due respect, sir…" he deliberated before speaking the name, "Deku used to be your student too."

"And so did All Might, what about it?"

He stayed silent. The name of that Symbol of Peace still has its power. And it was all thanks to him, the brat that inherited his One For All. Contrast illuminates both.

I picked the flower up from the table. "If you're that eager to learn the specific identity of the mysterious visitor, I don't mind telling you." I showed it to him. "Kuronoma Seimei. He was from Toshinori's batch. You may have heard of 'Raging Flora'."

"Raging Flora… Isn't that the hero who quit after—"

"Yes, the one who gave up his license as a pro hero forty years ago, give or take."

"…"

"As for why he came to see me, I reckon you don't want to be privy to a private exchange between a former teacher and his student?"

"No, that's… that'd be enough." He stood up, "I apologize if I've upset you. It's just that the way things are right now…"

"It's okay, Tsukauchi-kun. I understand your concern," I paused. "But, whoever came to meet me was not evil."

And he certainly wasn't a villain.

Tsukauchi nodded and made for the exit. As his two subordinates left the room before him, "Tsukauchi-kun," I called out, stopping him in the track. "Justice is not about black and white," I looked his way, "What is your justice?"

He was silent for longer while, and then he spoke, "My justice is constantly seeking the better answer to that."

And then he left.

What a good answer, I mused.


End file.
